Pen For My 8-Year Old

[penzealot]

Hello, All!

 

My daughter will be 8 next month and she wants an Edison pen in Hawaiian (Unicorn Barf). She does use fountain pens and while I understand wanting a pen, I can't seem to justify a $150+ pen purchase for an 8-year old. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good, less expensive alternative?

 

I looked at the Noodler's Konrad pens, but none of the colors were right.

 

Thanks if advance for your help!

[Cyber6]

  On 4/27/2016 at 8:40 PM, penzealot said:

Hello, All!

 

My daughter will be 8 next month and she wants an Edison pen in Hawaiian (Unicorn Barf). She does use fountain pens and while I understand wanting a pen, I can't seem to justify a $150+ pen purchase for an 8-year old. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good, less expensive alternative?

 

I looked at the Noodler's Konrad pens, but none of the colors were right.

 

Thanks if advance for your help!

 

 

I went for the lovely Pelikano Jrs. Haven't met a kid who doesn't like bright colors...

 

http://www.j-subculture.com/img/files/image/Daniel/12/fpk/05.jpg

[the_gasman]

I recently bought a Parker Slimfold for my 12 year old daughter and she loves it because it writes so smoothly. It would be slender and light enough for an 8 year old, I am sure. It is also really to fill, using the aerometric system. I don't review the US eBay site but Slimfolds go for about £5 to £15 on the UK site -- even if you bought over here and payed for overseas delivery, you would still end up with a superb pen for $30 or so. If your daughter didn't like it, you could always use it yourself (that was my contingency plan, which unfortunately failed because she loves her pen).

 

Cheers,

David.

Edited April 27, 2016 by the_gasman

[Sasha Royale]

Opinion, only.

She specifically wants THAT Edison. If you are not going to get it, get her a gift, other than a fountain pen. I wouldn't risk forcing on her a nice fountain pen that she hates, but can't reject. Youngsters can be quite sensitive. (I wanted the nice Edison, but got this cheap thing, instead.) Sad birthday.

 

Get her something else that she wants. Wait for her to ask for a fountain pen that you are willing to buy and give. How about a $50 gift certificate toward the Edison ? Is there an aunt who might do the same ? A grandma ? 3 X $50 !

[Cyber6]

  On 4/27/2016 at 9:05 PM, Sasha Royale said:

(I wanted the nice Edison, but got this cheap thing, instead.) Sad birthday.

 

 

Really??... An 8 years old will know the value of an Edison??

 

If that is true, then you might as well start teaching her to save her pennies.

 

 

C.

[Jade108]

  On 4/27/2016 at 9:05 PM, Sasha Royale said:

Opinion, only.

She specifically wants THAT Edison. If you are not going to get it, get her a gift, other than a fountain pen. I wouldn't risk forcing on her a nice fountain pen that she hates, but can't reject. Youngsters can be quite sensitive. (I wanted the nice Edison, but got this cheap thing, instead.) Sad birthday.

 

Get her something else that she wants. Wait for her to ask for a fountain pen that you are willing to buy and give. How about a $50 gift certificate toward the Edison ? Is there an aunt who might do the same ? A grandma ? 3 X $50 !

 

I would agree, she must likely has fallen for that particular pen. If you feel she isn't responsible enough for a pen of that price, then let her know she is still too young and that when she is old enough, there will be rules about it never leaving the house.

 

You might give her a budget for her wish list, ie, pick a pen that is under $50. It's pretty cool that she's asked for a fountain pen for her birthday, and if she is really set on that pen, I would have her save up for it with summer chores and gift money.

[dojocho]

  On 4/27/2016 at 9:05 PM, Sasha Royale said:

Opinion, only.

She specifically wants THAT Edison. If you are not going to get it, get her a gift, other than a fountain pen. I wouldn't risk forcing on her a nice fountain pen that she hates, but can't reject. Youngsters can be quite sensitive. (I wanted the nice Edison, but got this cheap thing, instead.) Sad birthday.

 

Get her something else that she wants. Wait for her to ask for a fountain pen that you are willing to buy and give. How about a $50 gift certificate toward the Edison ? Is there an aunt who might do the same ? A grandma ? 3 X $50 !

 

+1

 

regards, Hugo

Edited April 28, 2016 by dojocho

[Flippy]

Get her the Edison!

 

The more she becomes exposed to the real quality of fountain pens, the better! When I started collecting, I was almost as young as your daughter! Now, 2 years later, I;m still in the game! I actually didn't start at the Safari or Kaweco area, I went straight to the Parker IM. I'm still a newbie, only at 3 fountain pens and 5-4 ballpoints. I just recently bought a Platinum 3776#, which costed me 180$! I realized true quality in fountain pens, and I want your daughter to experience the same thing. The sooner you get her into true quality, the better, I have firsthand experience on fp's at a young age.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I was, I think, given a Parker 50 Falcon when I was about twelve, which would be after roughly five years of FP use which I had taken up on my own initiative. It didn't look like it was worth was it was worth, it wasn't the shape I was used to in FPs, and I neglected it until I lost it. I'm not sure, because I didn't start attending properly to history and designs until more than twenty years later, when memories of the lost neglected pen had become fuzzy. An Edison might meet with similar youthful ignorance (or not; part of my failure was that I was used to my pens costing $2.79), and it may be better to

 

In any event-- here's some more suggestions.

[pen2paper]

I just looked at Brian's Hawaiian Unicorn Barf, and even though I typically don't like candy colors and bling, I Love this pen!

 

What I also see is an opportunity to engage her in a memorable daughter-dad chat. Have her describe in minute detail what about this pen appeals to her. How she imagines herself using it, where, and for how long (as in weeks/years/decades). And if at this price it's too dear to purchase for this single occasion, (I'd like a Tesla too, But that's not reasonable), then what reasonable "bigger picture" planning might allow her to hold her own Unicorn Barf? Also include the responsibility issue. I she willing to care for it? and if, as things do happen, it's lost or damaged, will she view this with balance as a life lesson?

[mreich1964]

I agree with some of the other posts in regards to making sure that your daughter's F/P experience is enjoyable instead of frustrating. As for investing $150 on a pen for an 8 year old? I think that depends on each person to decide, if $150 is is an affordable investment AND you wont be too upset the first time she drops it and damages the nib - then I say go for it!

[mhpr262]

  On 4/28/2016 at 12:33 PM, CaiptainRollerball said:

Get her the Edison!

 

The more she becomes exposed to the real quality of fountain pens, the better! When I started collecting, I was almost as young as your daughter! Now, 2 years later, I;m still in the game! I just recently bought a Platinum 3776#, which costed me 180$!

 

You are ten years old?!?

[Arkanabar]

On the one hand, Lamy makes the "A" nib for kids who don't know or don't have enough control to apply suitably low levels of force to the nib. Your daughter's age is well within the range for which this nib is designed.

 

On the other, you don't want your daughter to hear the equivalent of "If you prove you can take care of this goldfish, then we will get you a shih tzu puppy." The child loves the puppy and would dote on it and willingly put up with its behavior and clean up its messes to keep it close. The goldfish is not loved and so it is easy to neglect.

 

Talk it over with her, as others have suggested. She should be old enough, at eight, to generally be able to use logic, if you don't get too abstract. Provide examples of other things she might want that would cost about the same. Use multiples if it helps (e.g., fill an online shopping cart with an equivalent amount in toys from her favorite line or lines). Choosing the most prudent course will require all sorts of information that I don't have, and that you're not likely to be able to convey to me, particularly, your daughter's character and your financial situation.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Arkanabar

[scrivelry]

How does she know about Edisons? How did she see this pen? Do you have one? In other words, the pretty pretty pen she loves - is it also desirable because it is just like yours in some way in her mind?

 

This might make a difference, in different ways, to different children.

[JotterAddict62]

  On 4/27/2016 at 9:05 PM, Sasha Royale said:

Opinion, only.

She specifically wants THAT Edison. If you are not going to get it, get her a gift, other than a fountain pen. I wouldn't risk forcing on her a nice fountain pen that she hates, but can't reject. Youngsters can be quite sensitive. (I wanted the nice Edison, but got this cheap thing, instead.) Sad birthday.

 

Get her something else that she wants. Wait for her to ask for a fountain pen that you are willing to buy and give. How about a $50 gift certificate toward the Edison ? Is there an aunt who might do the same ? A grandma ? 3 X $50 !

+1 on this.

 

Have her save her pennies [ or dimes ] and then help her out on half the cost. Just my 2 cents....

[ppdiaporama]

I initially bought my daugther a Faber Castel school pen when she was 10 ... then one day she tried my Lamy with a 1.5mm and loved it.

 

She now writes with a Sheaffer NoNonense Italic-Fine ...

 

She starts high school next year ... I offered to buy her a TWSBI with a stub nib but she wants to stick with her Sheaffer!

 

You can pick one up on ebay for next to nothing or you can buy the much cheaper, but still good, current version called the Viewpoint at just about any craft store for under 10$

[ac12]

I would NOT get a $150 pen for an 8 year old.

 

Lesson in life, "you can't always get what you want, no matter how much you want it." There are a LOT of stuff that I want, but can't afford. We all live within budgets, and she might as well learn that. My uncle freaked out when my cousin wanted to get a $600 RC car..."A $600 TOY!!!!"

 

I would also NOT get any of the Noodler's pens for her either. IMHO, they are too finiky, some may work out of the box, others needing hours of tinkering to get it to work. I never could get my 2 to work properly, they kept drooling ink.

 

An appropriate pen would also have to take into account how big her hand is. Example, a Safari might be too big for her to hold, but a Reform 1745 would fit her hand. Although a Reform 1745 is a rather boring green and black.

 

Some to look at:

- Pelikan, Pelikano

- Pilot, Kakuno

- Sheaffer cartridge/school pen (vintage 1960s but can be found on eBay) I used this pen in grade school, 5th and 6th grades.

Unfortunately I don't know many colorful pens, as I usually get the boring mono-color pens.

Edited April 29, 2016 by ac12

[J85909266]

They sell Varsities at Staples...

[ac12]

 

  On 4/28/2016 at 4:21 PM, Ernst Bitterman said:

 

In any event-- here's some more suggestions.

 

 

EB, that is a great link

[FayeV]

I hadn't seen that webpage Ernst linked to. That Rotring Core looks interesting.

 

My daughter started using fountain pens when she was 8 yrs old. She started with Pelikano, then chose a Lamy Safari (coral) as her next pen, and then the Pilot Metro Retro Pop (purple). The cost of the pen has no bearing on how well she takes care of it. The Safari knocks around in a pencil case with other writing instruments, while her less expensive Pilot Metropolitan still lives in the oval plastic case it came in and that is how she carries it in her backpack.

 

So I think your daughter would take greater care of a pen of her own choosing than one (less desirable pen) that was forced on her.

 

My daughter is 11 yrs old now and I cannot imagine buying her a $150 pen. We've recently started a weekly allowance to help her learn the value of money and saving it for larger purchases rather than on "instant gratification" purchases. If she wanted something really pricy, like a $150 pen, I'd want to see her make an effort toward saving for it and then later help subsidize part of the cost.